"I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead and excited about supporting the athletes and staff in preparation and qualification for Rio, and of course at the Games."

Toomey is already well-versed in Paralympic sport having been the pioneer of Para-cycling in Ireland. 

He was tandem for blind cycling coast to coast challenge across the United States in 2000, as part of a team led by former Vuelta a España winner Sean Kelly,

Toomey, who is from Blackrock in Cork, founded Tandem Cycling Ireland and has been the driving force behind Irish Para-cycling ever since. 

Ireland's first ever Para-cycling squad competed in the International Paralympic Committee Road World Championships in Germany in 2001, where Toomey was pilot for one of the two tandems competing.

He was also a tandem pilot for Mark Kehoe at Athens 2004 when he became the first Irish cyclist to qualify for the Paralympics. 

He was the cycling team manager at 2008 Paralympics in Beijing and spearheaded Ireland's team at London 2012 where Mark Rohan won the country's first-ever Paralympic gold medal in the sport.

Denis Toomey was instrumental in Mark Rohan becoming the first Irish cyclist to win a Paralympic gold medal, claiming victory in the men's individual H1 road race at London 2012 ©Getty Images 
Ireland finished 19th overall in the medals table at London 2012 with a total of 16 medals, eight of them gold.

It was their best performance since Seoul 1988. 

"On behalf of the Board and staff of Paralympics Ireland we congratulate Denis on his appointment to this key role on our journey to the Paralympic Games," said Liam Harbison, chief executive of Paralympics Ireland.  

"On a personal note I'm delighted to be handing over the baton from the London Games and look forward to supporting Denis in any way I can over the coming two years.

"Rio 2016 will present many new challenges with the ever increasing standards of Paralympic sport and the number of nations competing.  

"Coupled with cultural and climatic differences, the 2016 Games will be very difficult for the Irish Paralympic team to achieve our target of a top 30 place on the medals table.

"Our focus is now on supporting the athletes, coaches and support staff across all sports secure qualification for the Games through 2015 and the early part of 2016."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
September 2014: Ireland launches Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Volunteer Programme
May 2014: Paralympics Ireland publishes four-year plan for future medal success
December 2013: Paralympics Ireland to embark on three year strategic planning ahead of Rio 2016
October 2013: Murray appointed to boost performance at Paralympics Ireland
March 2013: Massive funding boost for Paralympics Ireland as begin preparations for Rio 2016